Blank Slate
by Zephyr Seraphim
Summary: Willow/Spike. Willow performs a tabula rasa that makes Buffy and Spike forget Spike's infatuation.
1. Part 1

Willow and Amy left the Bronze, bored...that had been fun enough but Willow wanted more. She wanted to be bad for once and had been wanting to for a long time, ever since her slight rebellion in her senior year and the whole doppelganger episode. Seeing herself so bad, controlling all the vampires in a few hours, it had given her a rush and she wondered if she would have been better off getting turned. But, no, brave Miss Buffy had "saved" her, forcing her to remain the quiet, shy, hacker, book-girl. But when she finally found her calling in Wicca, everyone had turned against her. _Sure, a few spells had gone wrong...but, hey, whatever happened to the whole I brought back Buffy bit? Hmmm, did everyone forget **that** one?_ Willow thought.  
  
A loud crash brought Willow out of her thoughts. "What the hell was that?" Amy demanded.  
  
"I don't know but anything that loud can't exactly be good," Willow stated and the two witches followed the noises to an abandoned house near the Magic Box. There were obvious signs of a struggle and still sounds of one. The two exchanged a look before entering, the place was dusty and seemed to be falling apart, dust filled the air and it took a few seconds to clear. Willow took a deep breath, she could handle a baddie but what she saw, she **really** couldn't handle. _Buffy and Spike...Spike and Buffy...ewww!_ her mind chimed, Amy looked a little nauseated as well.  
  
"Mmm, Buffy," Spike told Buffy between kisses. "You want a repeat performance, luv, meet me at the crypt tonight, 8:00."  
  
Amy and Willow scrambled out of there as fast as they could. "That cannot be comfortable," Willow mused.  
  
"But it seemed like they were having fun," Amy stated, making a face and Willow nodded.  
  
"Buffy and Spike...he tried to kill her. A lot. At least Angel didn't try to kill her until he lost his soul," Willow answered. "Buffy and Spike, can anyone else say 'ewwww!'"  
  
"Uh, yeah," Amy answered. "But I saw his rear..."  
  
Tara forgotten, Willow nodded. "Oh, yeah...that is the ass of a god..." she stated. "Did you hear what Spike said?"  
  
"'Mmm, Buffy?'" Amy repeated.  
  
Willow blushed slightly. "'You want a repeat performance, luv, meet me at the crypt tonight, 8:00.'"  
  
Amy's eyes widened. "Tonight, repeat performance...wow," she murmured. "But he's expecting Buffy..."  
  
"Glamours," was Willow's answer.  
  
"What about the **real** Buffy?" Amy frowned.  
  
"Tabula rasa," Willow replied. "This time, just a little bit of Lethe's Bramble."  
  
"Make her forget about the thing with Spike...leaving time for us to savor his Spikey Goodness," Amy murmured and Willow grinned.  
  
"I've wanted Spike since he kidnapped Xander and me...I'd never admit it until now. I mean, I thought Buffy'd turn him down. A lot. And he'd get over her. And since I'm the only Scooby that's of age without a significant other, I'd be perfect for him," Willow murmured. She had **never** told anyone that before and it was nice to get it off her chest.  
  
"You're in love with him," Amy answered.  
  
"I am," Willow admitted. "He was the only one who didn't expect me to be a-okay when Oz left me."  
  
"You know, maybe I shouldn't do the whole sleep with Spike thing. It'd be fun but I've kinda had a thing for the librarian..." Amy whispered, blushing.  
  
"Giles? Yeah, he is cute, isn't he? And he sings like an angel. A real angel, not Angel," Willow answered.  
  
"Angel?" Amy asked.  
  
"He's Buffy's vampire ex-lover," Willow explained. "He does not sing well, Cordy told me that much."  
  
"Buffy's other demon lover, gee, she should change her title from Slayer to Layer," Amy mused.  
  
The redhead nodded. "She sleeps with more demons then she kills..." Willow murmured.  
  
"This is never happening again!" Buffy's voice stated and the two witches hid.  
  
Amy groaned as she saw the crushed look on Willow's face. "Don't worry, Will," Amy murmured. "Spike won't want Buffy after you're through with him."  
  
Willow smiled softly. "You think so? I've only been with two people and they both left me...why'd they leave?" she asked, sounding much like a younger version of herself.  
  
"'Cause they were stupid?" Amy suggested, not liking to see Willow upset. After all, she'd still be a rat if Willow hadn't helped her.  
  
"'Cause I'm undesirable?" Willow answered.  
  
"Will-ow!" Amy scolded.  
  
"Right, no putting myself down, fine then," Willow sighed.  
  
"Good, now let's work on that spell..." Amy grinned.  
  
Ten minutes later, Willow and Amy stood in Buffy's room, before the Slayer's vanity. "Wow," Willow whispered, taking in her appearance. "It worked."  
  
"You know, this is creepy, you sound just like Buffy," Amy stated.  
  
"I do, don't I?" Willow mused, grabbing a brush and brandishing it like a stake, striking one of Buffy's fighting poses. "I'm Buffy the Vampire Slayer!"  
  
"Correction..." Amy started.  
  
"I'm Slutty the Vampire Layer, queen of bumpin' uglies with creeps, vamps and dorks!" Willow answered, attempting a spinkick but falling on her butt. "Okay...maybe I shouldn't try to do the kicking ass thing."  
  
Amy helped Willow up. "And to distract Buffy and the gang, I'll do this," Amy stated, chanting a spell. Before Willow's eyes the brunette transformed into Willow.  
  
"Okay, now **that's** creepy," Willow answered, running a finger over Amy's cheek. "Can you pretend to be me?"  
  
"Can **you** pretend to be Buffy?" Amy shot back.  
  
"Good point," Willow murmured. "Maybe I shouldn't..." Her mind flashed back to the image of Spike naked earlier that day. "Never mind, this is probably my only chance to be Spiked."  
  
Amy laughed. "You go, girl," she smirked. The door opened and Dawn walked in.  
  
"Hey, Buffy, Willow, what's up?" Dawn asked, Willow looked like a deer in headlights for a moment.  
  
"Um, Willow and I...we were bonding. We haven't been spending so much time together since I came back," Willow answered.  
  
"Yeah...just talking and that sort of thing," Amy stammered.  
  
"Oh, good...I'm really sorry about Tara," Dawn whispered, Willow bit her bottom lip.  
  
"Um...I guess we weren't meant to be after all, huh?" Amy answered.  
  
"Dawn, don't you have homework?" Willow changed the subject.  
  
"Um...well..." Dawn stuttered.  
  
"Dawn," Amy sighed. "You should do your homework."  
  
"I should and I'll do that now," Dawn answered, scampering away.  
  
"That was close," Willow whispered.  
  
"Too close," Amy replied. "We should do the tabula rasa before Buffy finds out."  
  
Willow nodded and the girls proceeded to perform the spell. "I have to go. I have a date with Spike," Willow stated after they were finished.  
  
"And I have a date with...no-one. Need a man," Amy answered.  
  
"We could always go to L.A., Giles is staying there a few days until he goes to England," Willow said and Amy blushed.  
  
"I'm going to...with Spike. Then have Spike forget his Buffy-lust...so we can have a chance together," Willow told Amy. The brunette nodded. "Even if we don't get together, I can still remember that one night that we had."  
  
"I don't blame you," Amy answered. "I couldn't stand loving someone who thinks I'm someone else."  
  
"Yeah, it'll be hard enough tonight...he'll probably call me Buffy," Willow whispered, twisting a strand of her now-blonde hair around her forefinger. "I should have taken up his offer to turn me. But the Initiative spoiled that thought."  
  
"The Initiative...those were the guys that put the chip in Spike's head, right?" Amy asked.  
  
"Yeah," Willow answered. "Stupid people didn't know who they were messing with." She took a deep breath and hugged Amy. "Wish me luck."  
  
"Good luck," Amy replied and Willow left Buffy's house.


	2. Part 2

Spike had paced his crypt for the past twenty minutes. What if she wasn't coming? He didn't want to think about it, when had he gotten so pathetic? He was about to go out and kill something when the door edged open and she entered, looking nervous. "Well, hello there, Slayer, back for more?" he taunted.  
  
Willow felt her knees tremble, the way he looked at her with such passion - no, he wasn't looking at her, he was looking at Buffy. Willow almost felt like crying, she'd wanted him for so long to find out he just wanted Buffy.  
  
Her resolve crumbled slightly as her eyes traveled anywhere but his face and settled on the bed, rose petals littered it and she did cry. "I-I shouldn't have come here..." she whispered between sobs.  
  
"Shhh, it's okay, I'm sorry," he whispered gently, stroking the long blond locks of her hair and kissing the tears from her cheeks. His hands lightly stroked her back as she sobbed into his shirt. He hadn't meant to hurt her...it just happened. A lot of things seemed to "just happen" lately.  
  
The witch took a deep breath to calm her shaky nerves before pushing her hair off her face and looking up at Spike and gave him a shy smile and the vampire caressed her cheek with his knuckles. Willow lay her hand atop his and he took her hand, kissing the pads of her fingers and she moaned as his blunt teeth lightly nipped at her sweaty skin.  
  
Spike released her hand to pull off his black t-shirt and Willow practically **drooled** at seeing the half-naked Spike. She'd seen him shirtless and that had been exactly **once** and she had been too busy performing the ionization spell to actually take note of how amazingly well-built he was. His muscles seemed to **have** muscles. Her eyes drank in his pale chest, six-pack abs, muscular arms.  
  
Her eyes were studying him with an itensity that she'd never had before. Those pretty orbs of hers were blazing paths wherever they traveled. "Wow, you're...amazing," she whispered before her fingers followed the trail her eyes had taken, barely skimming his pale flesh with her fingertips. Damn, she was good at the foreplay, wasn't she? And at her obvious admiration, his ego wasn't the only thing getting big in the crypt.  
  
Willow felt her body flush as her fingers ran over his cool skin. He wasn't unpleasantly cold, more like room temperature and it felt good under her feverish fingers. The way his jaw was clenched she could tell that he was fighting to keep the demon in check. And that was good, Willow loved Spike and she liked the demon part too...well, except for the whole bottle-in-the-face thing...okay, so she wasn't keen on the demon but it was part of who he **was**.  
  
And although, she'd probably enjoy the fierce...er...shagging she'd witnessed Buffy and Spike doing. Buffy had Slayer-healing and was had **still** been limping all day. Sure, Willow **looked** like Buffy but she didn't have the healing and that sort of coupling might kill her or at least hurt her a lot. Especially since she hadn't been with a guy for well over two years.  
  
Spike's lips crushed down on hers and she moved into the kiss until she finally needed to breathe. With a downcast look, Willow slid down the straps of the slipdress she wore and it pooled at her feet and she stood out of it, fighting the urge to cover up. She hadn't worn a bra or panties under Buffy's dress, leaving her entirely naked before the object of her desire.  
  
"Buffy, you're beautiful," Spike whispered and Willow froze. Her resolve shattered and she hastily redressed. "Did I say something wrong?"  
  
Willow forced back the tears that threatened to fall and made a beeline for the door. Spike grabbed her about the upper arm hard and she let out a yelp of pain at his punishing grip. Spike recoiled as the chip sent white-hot stabs of pain throughout his head. "What the hell!?"  
  
The witch clenched a hand over the already-bruised flesh and the pain caused her concentration to waver and the glamour to fade. Spike stared in wonder as the blonde Slayer became the red-haired hacker. Willow's eyes widened in horror and she raced off. "I'll be damned." There was a momentary pause. "Again."

* * *

Willow rushed to the Magic Box, using common sense, she saw Amy as herself and used another glamour to appear as Amy. "Amy, hey," Buffy said. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Hi, guys," Willow whispered, wiping away the tears. "Oh, nothing, just ran into a guy I dated before the rat thing and he's married now."  
  
"That's gotta hurt," Buffy murmured. "I'm sorry, Amy."  
  
"Guess we weren't meant to be," Willow murmured.  
  
"Since we're the dumped ones now, maybe we should go to Ben and Jerry's and get some Phish Food?" Amy suggested. "Or at least o.d. on chocolate."  
  
"That sounds like fun," Willow whispered and the two witches left the store.  
  
"Is anyone seeing sparks here?" Buffy answered as she watched Amy and Willow leave.  
  
"Willow needs a man," Anya stated.  
  
"Willow's gay, honey," Xander replied.

* * *

Willow and Amy let their glamours go when they were far enough away from the Magic Box. "So what happened, Will?" Amy asked.  
  
"Spike was there, he looked so amazing...he had rose petals on the bed," Willow whispered.  
  
Amy winced. "And he kept calling you Buffy?" Amy answered and the redhead nodded.  
  
"I couldn't, I knew he'd think of me only as Buffy...and it would rip my heart out," Willow stated. "I can't believe this, she treats him like dirt."  
  
"I've only been un-ratted for a few days now but I see what you mean. If I had a man - well, vampire - like him, I'd forget the slaying and spend all my time with him!" Amy answered.  
  
Willow smiled weakly. "Thanks, Amy, I don't think I could have made it through without your help. And I really need you to help me finish the tabula rasa...did you get the stuff?"  
  
Amy nodded at the redhead and handed her the crystal and a baggie of Lethe's Bramble. Willow grinned. "Thank you, Amy," she whispered. "I can't tell you how much this means to me."  
  
The two walked to Willow's parents' house in a companionable silence. The redhead took a deep breath and sat in front of the fireplace in the den. "Ignus incende," she said and the fire roared to life. "For Spike and Buffy, this I char," she said, placing the herb into the fire, sure to keep the rest of herb as far away from the fire as possible. "Let Lethe's Bramble do its chore. Purge their minds of memories grim, of pains from recent slights and sins." The redhead placed the crystal over the fire. "When the fire goes out, when the crystal turns black, the spell will be cast." She pulled the crystal back and Amy smiled at her. "Tabula rasa, tabula rasa, tabula rasa."  
  
"Now to hide the crystal...but where?" Amy asked, looking around.  
  
"Here," Willow said, walking into her dad's study. She pulled a reprint of Monet's "Waterlilies" off the wall to reveal a safe. She quickly turned the combination and opened the safe, it was empty. "Mom and Dad forgot about this safe a long time ago, I used to hide my diary in it." She carefully placed the crystal in the safe.  
  
"I think it's safe," Amy announced and the redhead nodded. "Guess we can't go to the Magic Box now...the Bronze?"  
  
"Oooh, the Bronze," Willow grinned, the two laced hand and made their way to the club.

* * *

Spike paced his crypt, what the hell had just happened? One minute Buffy was standing before him and then Red. He'd figured it as some kind of glamour but why? And he was pissed at her, she probably did one of her wonky spells. What was it with her and the whole spells bit? He frowned as he remembered the last spell...Randy Giles...being the Watcher's son was creepy considering that he was old enough to be the man's ancestor. He needed a drink...or ten and decided against going to Willy's. And decided on the Bronze. He immediately went for the bar, drowning his sorrows would make him feel a lot better. He ordered a beer and took a sip. His eyes traveled to the dance floor and almost choked on the drink as he saw Red with her other witchy friend performing a dance that could only be considered vertical sex. Hands trailed over each other in a flirtation as old as time. He never knew Willow could be so...hot?


	3. Part 3

Amy grinned at Willow, she'd never really been one for girls...or even sexy-dancing with girls and she found that she was really enjoying herself. Especially the slack-jawed looks the guys were giving them. Hands flittered down Willow's sides and the redhead grinned. The brunette turned around and slid to a slight slouch before Willow before rising to a standing position as Willow's hands slid down Amy's bare arms.  
  
"Girls can be fun too," Willow purred in Amy's ear and the brunette nodded. Then Willow's attention was pulled to the sight of the bleached-blond vampire watching them with an expression akin to shock on his handsome face.  
  
Amy's eyes followed Willow's and she smiled sexily at him. "Wanna make him squirm?" she whispered and she could feel Willow nod and Amy turned back to Willow, moving as close as she could without really touching. They could hear quite a few groans coming from the males in the club.

* * *

_God...where'd they learn to do **that**?_ Spike wondered. He shoved through the group of teenagers that had congregated around the two and moved between them. "Glad you joined us," Amy said from behind.  
  
With Amy Madison at his back and Willow Rosenberg at his front, the two girls had made a Spike sandwich. The music changed to a sexy trance-like song. "I love this song," the redhead whispered, she pulled back from Spike, lips moving with the words.  
  
_Take me down, six underground  
The ground beneath your feet  
Laid out low, nothin' to go  
Nowhere a way to meet_  
  
Spike growled as Willow ran her hands down his back, her hands stopping just above his butt. Amy also knew the song Willow had played it enough times, it was the song she played sometimes when she was in "the mood." "I'll just sit this one out," Amy said as she left the dance floor and within seconds a line of boys stood before the former-rat, begging her to dance. She finally relented and joined a very hot guy in a slow, seductive dance.  
  
_I've got a head full of drought  
Down here  
So far from losing out  
'Round here  
Overground  
Watch this space  
I'm open  
To fallin' from grace_  
  
Spike ran his hands down Willow's arms, moving close to her and her hips ground against his. "Are you ready to fall from grace, pet?" he whispered.  
  
"Maybe," she replied cryptically, never missing a beat, she was so close he could feel her breath. His fingers ran over her cheek.  
  
_Calm me down  
Bring it round  
Too way high off your street  
I can see like nothin' else  
In me  
You're better than I wanna be_  
  
His eyes met Willow's and she gave him a little smile as her hands wound around his neck. "You're better than I wanna be," she whispered.  
  
_Don't think 'cause I understand  
I care  
Don't think 'cause I'm talkin'  
We're friends  
Overground  
Watch this space  
I'm open  
To fallin' from grace_  
  
"So...Spike, how do you feel about Buffy?" Willow asked off-handedly.  
  
Anger flashed in Spike's eyes. "I want to kill her...I want to drink her dry," he said very seriously.  
  
_Talk me down  
Safe and sound  
Too strung up to sleep  
Wear me out  
Scream and shout  
Swear my time's never cheap_  
  
Willow nodded, silently cheering. But that didn't mean that he **didn't** want to sleep with her. "But do you, uh, wanna...um..." she started and Spike couldn't even pick up the rest of what she said with his vampiric hearing.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
_I fake my life like I've lived  
Too much  
I take whatever you're givin'  
Not enough  
Overground  
Watch this space  
I'm open_  
  
"You don't want to sleep with Buffy?" she said. Spike suddenly looked very sick to his stomach and Willow wished she hadn't asked because if he was going to throw up, it would be very...ewww.  
  
"God, no...I'd rather be bathed in holy water," Spike shuddered and was very surprised to be the recipient of a hug from Willow. "Any day you need me to tell you I'd never want to sleep with Buffy, just ask."  
  
_I fake my life like I've lived  
Too much  
I take whatever you're givin'  
Not enough  
Overground  
Watch this space  
I'm open  
To fallin' from grace_  
  
Willow grinned at him and they continued to dance until the song ended and at the end of the semi-pornographic dance, Spike was very turned on. She led him to a table where her friend sat and Willow beamed at Amy. "Spike doesn't want to sleep with Buffy!" she gushed.  
  
"That is **so** great," Amy chirped. Spike looked at the two as if they'd suddenly grown second heads.  
  
"O...kay..." he said.  
  
"Um...uh...okay...that's good..." Willow rambled, blushing.  
  
"It is," Amy agreed.  
  
"Are you two drunk?" Spike asked.  
  
"**No**!" Willow and Amy chirped in unison.  
  
"We aren't...it's just Amy and I shared a dream - okay, more of a nightmare - and...well, you and Buffy were making like rabid bunnies. And 'cause Buffy was so...um...preoccupied with you and your...parts. The world ended and we died horribly," Willow covered.  
  
"I can vouch that there is no way I'd **ever** sleep with the Slayer," he answered, "I still have nightmares about that wonky spell of yours that made me propose to her. It took me weeks to finally get the Buffy-taste out of my mouth."  
  
Willow grimaced. "Sorry about that," she whispered.  
  
"Okay, don't go all broody on me, pet," he muttered.  
  
"Um, maybe we can go to the Magic Box and see if there are any new baddies for us to kill?" Willow asked.  
  
"That sounds like fun...well, it doesn't sound like **fun** but it'd be...interesting?" Amy answered.  
  
"Now we're talkin', ladies," he smirked. "Nothin' like a bit of violence to spice up your unlife." He started off, the two girls trailing slightly after him to admire his behind.  
  
"I'd rather Spike up my life," Willow whispered to Amy and the brunette giggled. Spike turned to face them and the girls burst into a fit of giggles like some pre-teens gushing about which pop star that couldn't sing was the cutest.  
  
"Girls..." he warned and they laced their arms into each of his in a fascimile of _The Wizard of Oz_ until they arrived at the Magic Box. Willow gulped and Amy gave her a reassuring smile. Spike entered the Magic Box like he owned it. "Well, hello there."  
  
There was a swagger to his step, he was back to the old Spike. Big words and the attitude that Willow had missed since he became obsessed with Buffy. It was good to have him back. Willow and Amy exchanged a deer-in-headlights look.  
  
"Spike..." Xander said, "you know, we're not in the mood for your obsession right now. So if that's why you're here then you can go away. Now."  
  
"Obsession?" Spike asked.  
  
"With Buffy, whom you wish to have sexual intercourse with," Anya stated. Spike winced.  
  
"**Why does everyone think I want to shag the Slayer**!?" Spike demanded.  
  
"Who whatting the huh?" Buffy asked as she entered the main floor of the Magic Box from her training room.  
  
"Spike and his obsession," Anya sighed.  
  
"With killing demons?" Buffy asked.  
  
"No! Wanting to sleep with you!" Xander answered.  
  
Buffy paled as she looked from Xander to Spike. "Oh, my...ew!" Buffy cried. "Spike...me...nudity!? I-I think, I think I'm going to be sick."  
  
"**I do not want to...with you! For fuck's sake**!" Spike growled. "I'd rather shag the moron."  
  
"Moron? You mean Xander...you **can't**, he's mine!" Anya stated.  
  
"Guys, what are you two talking about? Spike wants nothing more than to kill Buffy, which is mean - and wrong - but he **never** wanted to...you know...with her. Where have you been?" Willow joined in. _Should have used that spell on everyone,_ she mused.  
  
"Exactly, Willow's right," Amy answered, nodding.  
  
And that was the last time Spike's crush on Buffy was ever talked about which relieved Willow to no end.

* * *

It had been exactly three months, twelve days, five hours and twenty-nine minutes since Willow had cast the tabula rasa on Buffy and Spike and all that had become of the vampire and Slayer's "relationship" was constant bickering, glares and thinly veiled threats - or in Spike's case, non-veiled threats that usually started with "Slayer, when I get this chip out of my head..." - and the Scooby Gang was glad to have Spike not lusting after their Scooby Doo.  
  
_Or maybe Buffy was more of a Scooby Dee?_ Willow mused as she sat at her desk in her bedroom before her computer. _Or maybe Shaggy? Hmm...I'm Velma, obviously...Anya's sorta like Daphne...Giles is kinda like Freddy...Dawn's more of a Scrappy Doo...Xander's more Shaggy than Buffy, so that left Buffy as Scooby Doo. That makes sense, after all we are the Slayerettes - not the Xanderettes or the Zeppoettes as Cordelia would have put it..._  
  
And now that they had a blank slate to work with, Willow and Spike had become best friends. It surprised everyone except Amy, Willow and Spike. Astonishingly, Willow and William formerly "the Bloody" had more in common than four letters of their names. Spike loved poetry and practically worshiped Shakespeare (although, he'd never admit it if he was tortured for a thousand years) and Willow loved the Sex Pistols (although, she'd never admit it if she was tortured for a thousand years). Willow paused. _Okay, I would..._ she thought.  
  
And in the second month, Spike had moved in with Willow and Amy in Willow's parents' house, living in the basement while Amy took over Ira and Sheila's room. Surprisingly, Amy and Spike acted like siblings, always picking and teasing and sometimes Willow had to use her "resolve face" just to stop them from annoying each other to death. Willow grinned as she remembered her "family", Amy had become the sister the Jewish Wiccan had never had and Willow kept falling deeper in love with Spike the more time she spent with him.  
  
Willow sighed and turned her attention back to the computer, she was researching the latest demon but her thoughts continued to turned to the undead man that filled her fantasies. "Pay attention, Rosenberg," she muttered. Then her door flew open and Willow's world crumbled.  
  
"Willow," Amy whispered. "It's Spike...he's been hurt." 


	4. Part 4

"What?" Willow cried. "Where is he?"  
  
"In the living room," Amy answered, practically dragging the redhead downstairs. Spike lay on the couch, a nasty gash on his abdomen.  
  
"Spike!" Willow exclaimed, kneeling beside him. "Someone call an ambulance."  
  
"Um, Will, he's kinda dead already, he'll heal," Xander assured his friend. Willow sighed with relief, she'd forgotten.  
  
"Oh, right," she whispered. "Could I at least have a wash cloth to clean him up?" Buffy tossed the redhead a wet cloth and Willow took off his shirt. "There...you'll be good as new soon enough." She gave him a crooked grin and he returned the smile as she applied pressure to the wound. She frowned as the blood kept flowing.  
  
"Thanks, Red," he answered, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his hand lingering on her cheek a few seconds longer than necessary before his hand fell limply to his side as he slipped into unconsciouness. His fingertips had been warm, the blood that soaked into the rag was warm. Willow's hand flew to his neck and she nearly passed out as she felt weakening pulse against her fingers.  
  
"We have to get him to a hospital. Now!" she ordered.  
  
"Vampires heal up by themselves," Buffy sighed.  
  
"He's not a vampire," Willow answered. "He's human."  
  
"How?" Xander demanded.  
  
"I don't know but I won't let him die!" Willow growled.

* * *

A half-hour later and Willow paced the waiting room, trying to figure out how Spike had become human, that and she worried if he'd live through his first day of humanity. Amy entered the waiting room with a pouch on a string. "Thanks, Amy," Willow said, putting the necklace into one of her pockets. "He's going to need this."  
  
A doctor came up to the two witches. "Mr. Williams is going to be all right but we need to keep him overnight for observation," she said.  
  
"Can I see him?" Willow begged.  
  
"Of course," the doctor said, smiling reassuringly at her. Willow wasted no time in racing to Spike's room, he lay on a bed, looking very angry, confused and in pain. "Hi, Spike," she said shyly.  
  
"I'm human," he said, trying to wrap his brain around his problem.  
  
"You are," Willow answered, not sure what else she could say.  
  
"How?" he demanded.  
  
"W-we don't know..." Amy said softly. "It can't be that bad, Spike."  
  
"It is!" he growled. "I'm one-hundred and twenty-eight years old! I've been a vampire longer than you've been alive! And now I'm as useless as Chubs! This chip and whatever the hell **this** is..." he gestured toward his now very-living self "...has made me as helpless as a bleeding kitten!"  
  
Willow perched herself on the edge of his bed. "Spike, you're not helpless," Willow answered, running a hand over his cheek.  
  
"Hey, not-so-deadboy," Xander chirped as he entered the room with Anya and Amy, a taunting grin on his face. He moseyed over to the former vampire and Spike smacked Xander upside the head, preparing himself for the pain but it never came. "The chip!"  
  
"Is gone..." Spike smirked as he tried to morph. "Damn it!"  
  
"And you're human, so nyah!" Xander stated, sticking out his tongue. Spike glared at Xander. "Ooh, I'm frightened...**not**!"  
  
"Xander," Amy scolded. She hugged Spike and he gave her a little grin. "How are you coping with mortality?"  
  
"It sucks," Spike pouted.  
  
"Oh, the big bad vampire can't handle being human," she teased.  
  
"You two stop now, I won't have you squabbling like children," Willow said, grinning. "Especially now that Spike's defenseless..."  
  
"I'll show you defenseless, witches," he said, glaring menacingly at the two witches. "You do remember that I was William THE Bloody--"  
  
"Awful Poet," Buffy supplied as she and Dawn walked into his room.  
  
Spike pouted. "I'm human, everyone's pickin' on me, Slayer's in my room, how can this day get any worse?" he bemoaned.  
  
"Oh, Spike," Willow said.  
  
"We still love you," Amy and Willow chorused as they hugged Spike.  
  
"Is anyone else disturbed by them?" Xander asked, raising his hand and Buffy raised hers.  
  
"I think it's sweet," Dawn grinned.  
  
Xander looked at Anya and she shrugged. "What? I think they should have sex," she answered and Buffy clapped her hands over Dawn's ears.  
  
"Ixnay on the exsay alktay around the Awnsterday," Xander sighed.  
  
"Guys, I **am** fifteen, I know about sex," she sighed, rolling her eyes.  
  
Willow blushed as she unwrapped herself from Amy and Spike. "We're **not** going to have sex!" she said.  
  
"Aw, come on, pet...you know you want to," Spike purred.  
  
"Like she'd ever want you like that. No-one would ever want to have sex with you," Buffy stated, rolling her eyes. Amy and Willow exchanged the briefest of looks.  
  
"You're just jealous 'cause you can't ri--" Spike started and any other things he said were muffled by Amy's hand over his mouth.  
  
Dawn stared in shock at Spike, turning bright pink. "That's my baby sister you're talking around!" Buffy growled. "Dawn, honey, go get a snack." Dawn nodded mutely before heading out to the snack area. "You're beneath me!"  
  
Spike removed Amy's hand from his over his mouth. "I bet you'd like..." Spike's voice trailed off as Willow's lips met his.  
  
"Go, Willow!" Anya cheered.  
  
"You were saying?" Buffy said, trying not to grin at Willow.  
  
"Huh? What?" Spike asked, wrapping an arm around Willow's waist.  
  
"Nothing," Amy said. "Took you long enough, I was beginning to wonder if I'd have to tie you together," she whispered in Willow's ear and the redhead's eyes widened.  
  
"You know what, pets, mortality might not be so bad after all," he answered. "What say, Red, after I get the out of this hell hole, we go out on a date?"  
  
Willow grinned. "I'd love to," Willow said.  
  
"Without me?" Amy pouted playfully.  
  
"WOULD YOU TO STOP COMING ONTO SPIKE, IT'S GROSS!" Xander answered.  
  
"I think Chubs is upset," Spike sighed melodramatically.  
  
"Yes. Because we got you chocolates. And you know how Xander is when food stuffs are involved," Anya answered, handing Spike a box of chocolates. "Xander said hospital food is disgusting."  
  
Spike grinned at Xander. "My, didn't know you cared," he smirked.  
  
"We don't but we didn't want you to die on your first day as a human," Xander stated. "Because then we can't pester you."  
  
"I think that's the closest to Xander admitting he likes you as you'll ever get," Amy stated. Spike shrugged then looked at Amy and Willow.  
  
"What did my two favorite witches get me?" Spike asked sweetly and the girls rolled their eyes.  
  
"I don't know if we should give it to him, Wills," Amy said.  
  
"Oh, come on, Mouse," Spike answered.  
  
"Okay," Amy said at the hated nickname, "we shouldn't."  
  
"Please?" Spike pouted, giving her puppy-dog eyes.  
  
"Sure, use the puppy-dog eyes," Amy sighed in defeat. "Give the guy his present."  
  
Willow grinned widely as she handed Spike the sachet, he sniffed it. "Cool Water?" he asked.  
  
"It's a protection spell Amy and I made earlier before you, uh..." Willow answered, blushing. "Scented with Cool Water 'cause we know it's your favorite cologne." He put on the sachet, giving the girls a smile. "But now it's sort of a 'welcome to humanity' thing."  
  
"Thanks, girls," he said before looking at Buffy. "Did you get me a prezzie?"  
  
"No," Buffy answered. "I don't like you."  
  
"Oh, you stake me with your words," Spike stated, placing his hand over his heart.  
  
"The only reason I'm not staking you now is because you're human," Buffy stated sweetly before leaving.  
  
"What got the the Slayer's knickers in a knot?" Spike asked innocently.  
  
"I wonder," Amy asked, smacking Spike in the back of his head.  
  
"OW!" Spike whined.  
  
"Poor baby," Willow smirked.  
  
"Damn straight, remember I am the injured one here, Mouse," he chided.  
  
"Stop calling me that!" Amy pouted and Xander rolled his eyes.  
  
"This is seriously disturbing," he answered.  
  
"I think it's interesting, I'm thinking of getting popcorn and watching...it's better than a soap opera," Anya replied.  
  
Xander sighed. "Anya, you're strange but I still love you," he answered, kissing her on the cheek and leading her out of the room.  
  
Amy watched them leave and Willow looked at Spike. "You have to stay overnight," she whispered.  
  
"Bollocks!" Spike muttered. "It's just a flesh wound."  
  
"I'll watch over you," she said.  
  
"No Willow, you should help the gang find out what made him human...that leaves me watching the Q-tip," she sighed. "Wait...maybe you **should** stay."  
  
"You were right, Amy. I should help research...only if you promise not to kill each other," Willow said.  
  
"We promise," Amy and Spike chorused. Willow smiled softly and kissed Spike lightly before leaving.  
  
Spike and Amy exchanged a look. "Let's see what's on the telly," he stated and she sat on his bed.

* * *

"I saw a demon like the one Spike and I were fighting that Thanksgiving when I went to tell Angel to stay out of my town. But I'm glad he didn't," Buffy answered. Willow gave her a 'go on' look. "It had this jewel in its forehead. Angel smashed the jewel and it died. Spike and I were fighting it and it clawed Spike and Spike stabbed it and its blood spurted all over my cute Gucci top...and on Spike. Then the demon sliced Spike on his stomach and I broke its jewel and it was dead. I think it was a Mothra Demon."  
  
Willow entered the description into the computer and came up with a match. "Mohra demon. Their blood when mixed with a vampire's kills the demon and makes them human."  
  
"And Angel had to go and kill it? We could have been together, grown old together, had children," Buffy whispered.  
  
"Spike...and I..." Willow smiled. "I'm going to go talk to him."  
  
"That's a good idea 'cause him and Amy are probably killing each other," Xander answered.


	5. Part 5

"Stop it!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"I mean it! Stop it right now, Mouse!"  
  
"DON'T CALL ME MOUSE!"  
  
"Don't do that!"  
  
"Gimme it!"  
  
The shouting hit Willow as soon as she neared Spike's room. She entered and she burst into giggles as soon as she saw what the commotion was about, the two were fighting over the controls to Spike's bed, Amy kept putting it down and Spike kept putting it up. "Red...make her stop," Spike pleaded.  
  
"Amy, leave Spike alone. I'm here to relieve you of your watching duties," she answered.  
  
Amy smiled at Willow and flounced out of the room and Willow joined Spike on his bed. "Feeling any better?" she asked.  
  
"Now I am," Spike replied and Willow grinned.  
  
"Um, well...we found out why you're human...your wound got Mohra demon blood in it and it made you human," she answered.  
  
"Can it turn me back?" Spike asked.  
  
"Uh...no," she said, continuing before he could interrupt. "But being human isn't as bad as you make it out to be."  
  
"Says the witch," Spike muttered.  
  
"Spike...you'll be okay, you've got a second chance to do the things you never got to do when you were human and couldn't do when you were a vampire." She smiled brightly at him.  
  
"I think you're right," he answered, his lips claiming hers.

* * *

"Oh, isn't that so sweet?" Anya cooed as she looked over at the two sleeping. Willow was pillowed on Spike's chest, his arm wrapped around her waist and her hand in his, they were fully clothed but they both looked well-kissed.  
  
Dawn smiled to herself and snapped a picture of the couple. Amy rolled her eyes and shook Willow awake. "Hey, Will, have fun?" she asked.  
  
"Um...uh...well..." Willow stammered.  
  
"Never tell me..." Xander started.  
  
"But if you're having sex, I wanna know...is he good in bed? Xander's a Viking, you know," Anya stated.  
  
"We didn't you know...we fell asleep in each other's arms," the redhead replied, grinning like an idiot, her hand still tangled in Spike's.  
  
"Oh..." Anya said, her tone disappointed. "When you do have sex...I want details and maybe diagrams."  
  
"'When?'" Xander asked, looking at his fiancee, trying to ignore the rest of her statement.  
  
"You haven't seen the way they've looked at each other?" Anya said and Dawn rolled her eyes.  
  
"I have, it's the look Angel used to give to Buffy, that 'I wanna devour you but I'm too nice to do such a thing,'" Dawn told Xander.  
  
Willow and Spike looked at each other before averting their heads and Dawn's jaw dropped. "Oh...wow...I made Spike blush. Look!" she said. True to Dawn's statement, Spike was blushing.  
  
"Oh my God, here comes the real Apocalypse..." Amy teased and she nodded. "Yeah, they do look like they wanna devour each other." She was glad that someone else noticed that look between the two. "Okay, seriously speaking, we're here to take you home where we'll teach you to be human. And no fighting for a long while until you're better."  
  
"Yes, Mum," Spike smirked, standing up and walking to the closet at the end of the room. He grabbed his jeans and pulled them on under the gown, the gown rode up slightly and Anya's moved to get a better view. He did his jeans and looked at the shreds of his favorite black shirt. "Damn," he muttered, shrugging off the gown and pulling the shirt on anyway.  
  
"I think your first lesson as a human should be to buy new clothes in colors other than red and black," Willow mused and Spike gave her a smile.  
  
"We'll do that, Red," he answered. "But let's get out of here before they decide to make me stay another night."  
  
"That's a good idea," Willow answered and Amy pulled her out of the room.  
  
Anya left, looking bored and Dawn followed the two witches and former-demon, leaving Xander with Spike. "We need to have a talk...man to man...mano y mano," Xander stated, he took a deep breath. "Look, I don't care if you're human, chip or no chip...if you hurt Willow in any way, Buffy's the last person you'll have to worry about. I've known her practically since birth, she's my best friend and I will kill you. Just so we got that clear. Truce?"  
  
"Truce, I don't plan on hurtin' Willow. She's the most amazin' creature I've ever met," Spike said. "She makes me...I don't know...but I never felt this way ever. Not even 'bout Dru and that's a lot, she was my sire. Dru killed me but Willow made me feel alive even before I was...well, alive."  
  
Xander smirked. "You really were an awful poet," he stated.  
  
"Hey!" Spike cried.

* * *

Anya stared at Xander as he and Spike came walking through the halls, talking and laughing. "What did you do to my Xander?" Anya demanded.  
  
"Let's just say me and Chubs found a bit in common, demongirl, nothin' to get worried about," Spike stated. "Always preferred women, especially redheads."  
  
Willow grinned. "I'm glad you two are getting along," the redhead answered. "And since your shirt has been shredded, we should get more clothes."  
  
"No pastels," Spike warned.  
  
"Absolutely no pastels," Willow and Amy agreed.  
  
"I have other shirts too, y'know," Spike defended.  
  
"Maybe...but they probably scream 'creature of the night' and not 'human of the day', right?" Amy answered.  
  
"Not exactly..." Spike answered. "Fine, I'll let you birds take me shopping."  
  
"Great," Willow chirped, grinning. Amy, Anya and Dawn grinned also.  
  
"You're in trouble," Xander told Spike.


	6. Part 6

"No, absolutely not," Spike warned.  
  
"Oh, come on, Spike," Anya begged.  
  
"I'm not some poofter that goes prancing around in leather trousers, that's Angel's job," Spike answered.  
  
"For me?" Willow asked, her fingers dancing across his chest, she leaned in to whisper in his ear, "If you try on those leather pants, I'll let you get me some leather clothes..." and she nipped his ear. She pulled away and he gulped, as his jeans got tighter.  
  
"Oh, all right," Spike stated, grabbing the proffered leather pants from Amy and sauntering into a dressing room.  
  
"I can't believe you got him to try on the leather pants," the brunette answered. "What'd you say to him."  
  
"Just a little bribery," Willow replied.  
  
"Hey guys," Dawn called, holding up a midnight-blue shirt, "what do you think of this shirt?"  
  
"I think it's great," Willow answered, taking the shirt and passing it over the door to the dressing room. "Try this on."  
  
She made out some barely audible curses about "damned leather" and "looking like Peaches", Willow shrugged and walked to the three girls.  
  
"I think it'd bring out Spike's eyes. He has pretty eyes," Dawn supplied.  
  
"You don't have a crush on Spike, do you Dawn?" Amy asked.  
  
"No, Spike's like a big brother to me. And he's really old," the fifteen-year-old assured.  
  
"Oh, good," Willow said.  
  
"But I'm not blind, I'm glad you're with Spike, you seem good together," Dawn continued.  
  
"Ladies?" a voice purred from behind them and Willow saw Anya doing an excellent impression of a fish. She turned to face the voice's source, as soon as she saw him, her face flushed and she struggled to get her voice to work. Spike stood before them in skin-tight black leather pants and the midnight-blue silk shirt, half-unbuttoned revealing his taut pale chest. He stalked toward them. "You don't like?" he pouted.  
  
Anya stared at Spike. "Can I have him?" she asked Willow.  
  
"Anya, remember Xander?" Dawn stated.  
  
"Xander?" Anya asked. "Oh, **Xander**! Gotta get him into some leather..."  
  
"Wow..." was all Willow could manage.  
  
"I feel the need for a cold shower," Amy supplied, not even tearing her eyes away from Spike's chest. "You loook...good..." Dawn nodded.  
  
Spike smirked. "I'll take that as a 'yes,'" he answered.  
  
"Darn tootin'," Willow answered.  
  
"Well, as long as you like it, Red," Spike answered, smirking and wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "I've got enough clothes to last me awhile."  
  
Willow nodded and the two walked over to the counter and Willow charged his new clothes onto her parents' credit card.

* * *

Amy watched him pace and rolled her eyes. "Stop it, you're making me dizzy," she said.  
  
"Sorry Mouse, I'm nervous," Spike said, lighting a cigarette and Amy took it away.  
  
"Smoking is bad, human-guy," Amy stated.  
  
"Oh, right...keep bloody well forgetting," he sighed, remembering earlier when it had taken Xander, Willow and Amy to push him into the sunlight. Then he had screamed until he realized he wasn't making like the Human Torch.  
  
Sure, he hadn't acted that way with the Gem of Amarra firmly planted on his finger but even then he'd been a little hesitant to go into the sunlight, had even taken a walk before facing off with Buffy. But the Gem was a security blanket, he hadn't had one and forgotten the new mortality.  
  
"Why are you nervous anyway?" Amy asked.  
  
"I'm going on a date with Willow," he said.  
  
"And?" Amy stated. "You're just going to get dinner and then go to the Bronze. It's not a big thing. Just be yourself." She patted him on the back.  
  
Amy went upstairs to find Willow tearing up her closet, searching for an outfit for her date with Spike. "I know you're not one for fancy dresses so I took the liberty of getting you something," Amy said, pointing toward a box semi-covered in clothing that looked like a rainbow had thrown up on.  
  
Willow looked at Amy curiously before uncovering the box. She untied the string holding the box closed and opened it, she carefully smoothed away the tissue paper and stared at the dress. "It's beautiful..." she murmured, carefully pulling the dress from the box and smiling at the shoes that came with it.  
  
"I saw it when we went to the mall and it just screamed 'Willow,'" Amy answered. "And I'm anxious to see Spike's mouth drop to the ground when he sees you in it. Revenge for that outfit earlier."  
  
Willow grinned. "But he did look yummilicious," she stated.  
  
"Yeah, and he made you go catatonic for a few minutes there," Amy reminded her.  
  
Willow grinned sappily at the thought of Spike in that outfit but shook off the lust-crazed thoughts when Amy cleared her throat. "Oh, right...date...clothes," she stammered.  
  
Amy smirked. "Have a good time and be back before dawn," she said in a motherly tone and Willow giggled. "Seriously, you're my best friend, Willow. And I want you to be happy, anyway call it a belated birthday present considering I was a rat for the big 2-0."  
  
Willow gently lay the dress down and hugged Amy. "Thanks, Amy," she whispered and Amy grinned at her before leaving her room.  
  
Amy turned on the television and sat on the couch, waiting for her friends to get ready. Spike walked upstairs and Amy grinned at him, he was wearing "the outfit." "Hey," she called. "Hello Mousie, where's Willow?" he asked, wiggling slightly to try to stretch out the pants.  
  
"Getting ready, you don't like the pants?" she asked.  
  
"They bloody chafe," he groaned, joining Amy on the sofa.  
  
"They look good on you," the brunette stated.  
  
"I know, anything or nothing looks good on me," he stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she answered, rolling her eyes. "You just have a big ego."  
  
"You're no fun," Spike pouted. "What's on the telly?"  
  
"Dunno, didn't really look yet," Amy replied, Spike flipped the stations until a good show popped up.

* * *

"Bloody hell, these people are stupid," Spike answered.  
  
"Richard was the strongest link this round but it's votes that count. With three votes: Richard, you **are** the weakest link. Goodbye," Anne's voice stated from the television.  
  
"That's the second time this episode they voted off the strongest link!" Amy muttered.  
  
"Sorry it took so long," Willow's soft voice came from the stairs and Spike jumped up to look at her, his jaw dropping.  
  
"You know, that's a good look for you," Amy smirked. Spike stared at the redhead until Amy poked him in his back.  
  
"You look...amazing," he whispered reverently.  
  
"Thanks," Willow said shyly, she wore the dress and shoes Amy had gotten her, her hair was in an upsweep. The dress was a short-sleeved black velvet knee-length number with silver beading decorating the bodice, the back plunged to the small of her back, the shoes were black suade with one-inch heels and to finish the outfit she wore a black lace choker with an emerald pendant.  
  
"It's you," Amy answered, grinning at her friend. Spike took Willow's hand and guided her out the front door. Amy looked at the phone momentarily before picking it uper.  
  
"Hello?" a voice answered.  
  
"Hey Dawn, you mind if I stay over tonight?" she asked.  
  
"Oh sure, Buffy won't mind. Wouldn't want to ruin Spike and Willow's night, would we?" Dawn stated.  
  
"Okay, I'll be there in about twenty minutes. Thanks, Dawnie," Amy said. "Bye."  
  
"Bye," Dawn replied and Amy hung up. She gathered her things and went to Buffy's. Something told her that Willow and Spike were going to have a long night together.


	7. Part 7

Blue eyes met green over the table. Before both pairs of eyes darted back to the plates in front of them. _This date's going so well..._ Willow grumbled mentally. They hadn't spoken all evening except when ordering their dinner, she had never known Spike to be...shy. And it was incredibly unnerving.  
  
_Bloody hell, Spike!_ the former-vampire told himself. _She probably thinks you're a moron! And after you shelled out all that cash to get a nice private corner._ "So, uh...is the food good?" he asked her.  
  
"Very good," Willow murmured. "Aren't you going to eat? I swear you've been moving that piece of lettuce around for fifteen minutes."  
  
"Oh..." he said. "Just been a while since I've eaten. Y'know food you don't get out of a bag." Willow grinned at him.  
  
"Let me help you with that," Willow stated, she took his fork and stabbed said-lettuce and fed it to him.  
  
He chewed it and swallowed giving her a little grin. "Mmm...good," he murmured. "Better than I remember...or maybe it's just the company."

* * *

"Got any sevens?" Amy inquired.  
  
"Go fish," Dawn said. Amy pouted and dug into the pile of cards between them.  
  
She grinned at the card she drew and laid out her cards. "I win," the witch chirped.  
  
"Again?" Dawn whined.  
  
"Yeah," Amy smiled. "Wanna do something else?"  
  
"How about we make brownies?" Dawn asked.  
  
Amy looked at the clock. "It's 9:36 p.m.," she stated.  
  
"So?" Dawn replied, wide-eyed. "'Sides Willow and Buffy say you make the best brownies on earth."  
  
Amy smirked. "Flattery will get you everywhere, little one," she said, ruffling Dawn's hair as she stood up.  
  
"Hey," Dawn cried, standing up and stretching. The two brunettes went to the kitchen and began to prepare their dinner of brownies.

* * *

Willow giggled. "That is so **not** true," she stated as they walked hand-in-hand on Sunnydale's pier. It wasn't the most direct route to the Bronze but it was scenic.  
  
"It's true..." Spike defended. "I did play bass for the Sex Pistols once..."  
  
"You're lying, you evil liar-guy," Willow scolded. "If you did play you would have told me so a long time ago, so nyah."  
  
"Yeah? Well...I did, I threatened to kill them brutally unless they let me play and they did," he shrugged.  
  
"Okay...that's kinda mean," Willow mused.  
  
"I'm...I **was** a vampire, y'know Red," he answered.  
  
"Maybe. But you **don't** threaten the Sex Pistols. That's sacrilege," Willow replied.  
  
"Well, I did," Spike smirked, he slipped his hand out of hers and wrapped it around her shoulders and she wrapped hers around his waist.  
  
"You're a bad, bad man," she teased.  
  
"I was," Spike smirked.  
  
"I know, I know..." Willow stated. "You're the big bad."  
  
"And don't you forget it," he replied.  
  
"I won't," she answered, giving him a peck on the lips. "Ooh, a photo booth...can we?" Spike was about to say no when he saw her face.  
  
"Oh...all right," he answered and she almost dragged him to the booth. He put some money into the machine and the two entered the little booth, Willow sitting on Spike's lap.  
  
A few minutes later, the two left the booth, laughing. The machine spit out the strip of pictures. The first was Willow just sitting on Spike's lap looking prim and proper, the second Spike doing an exaggerated vampire pose and Willow playing the scared victim, the third was Willow leaning back on Spike both of them grinning like idiots and the fourth one was of Willow and Spike kissing.  
  
"See?" Willow said as she showed Spike the pictures.  
  
"You look absolutely delicious, Willow," he answered and she blushed.

* * *

"Twelve brownies full of chocolatey goodness coming right up," Amy said as she carefully pulled the pan out of the oven. She placed the steaming pan on a counter and removed the mitts.  
  
Dawn grinned until Buffy entered from her patrol. "Ooh, chocolate..." the blonde said.  
  
"**Our** chocolate," the teenager stated. "And we will fight to the death."  
  
"Come on, Dawn. Guess that gives us four apiece," Amy sighed as she cut the brownies and handed some of them to Buffy and Dawn, leaving four for herself.  
  
"Thank you, Amy!" Buffy and Dawn chimed.

* * *

As Willow and Spike finally arrived at the Bronze, he led them to a relatively secluded table, they talked about nothing in particular until a slow song played. "Do you...uh...wanna dance?" Willow asked.  
  
"Love to, pet," he answered as she led him onto the dance floor. He pulled her close, scant inches between them and she practically melted in his embrace as they slowly moved to the music. She lay her head on his shoulder, entranced by the sound of his heart and the music.  
  
"This is nice," she whispered.  
  
"Yes, it really is," he replied.


	8. Part 8

Dawn grinned as her sister braided her hair. This was nice, they hadn't really had quality time together since Buffy had come back. And now they were sitting in their living room with Amy, eating brownies and popcorn, watching movies starring their crushes on the television.  
  
It was almost like it had been before their mother had died except instead of a Mel Gibson movie, it was a Johnny Depp movie...Amy's favorite. Currently, they were watching "Sleepy Hollow" and ever-so-often Buffy would stop braiding Dawn's hair to cover her eyes.  
  
"I'm fifteen years old, Buffy!" Dawn scowled. "And I live on the Hellmouth...and I was almost sacrificed by a hellgod, I think I can handle the Headless Horseman!"  
  
"Fine," Buffy said, finishing off the French braid, just in time for Dawn to see Magistrate Philipse get beheaded and the Horseman take his head...oh, and Johnny Depp faint. Again.  
  
"EWWW!" Dawn grimaced.  
  
Amy smirked. "Don't lose your head..." she taunted.  
  
"That was just bad," Dawn made a face and Buffy threw some popcorn at her.

* * *

Willow giggled as Spike nuzzled her neck, they had spent hours at the Bronze until they were about to fall asleep standing up, now they were walking home. They stopped in front of Willow's house and Spike smiled at her. "Goodnight sweetheart, well it's time to go. Goodnight sweetheart, well it's time to go. I hate to leave you but I really must say, 'oh, goodnight sweetheart, goodnight.' Well, it's three o'clock in the morning baby, I just can't get right. Well, I hate to leave you, baby, don't mean maybe because I love you so," Spike sang softly in her ear.  
  
Willow shivered all the way to her toes. "Wow," she murmured. _He has the greatest voice..._ she mused, _and he sang to Buffy...oh, God...Buffy!_ She stiffened visibly and Spike stared at her.  
  
"Willow...is something wrong, luv?" he asked, stroking her face.  
  
"No...I'm...it's..." she stammered then she froze. "You--you love me?"  
  
Spike's eyes widened. "Um..." he started, then he smiled thoughtfully. "Yeah, I do."  
  
_I didn't do a love spell on him...so he really loves me,_ she thought, swallowing hard.  
  
"I love you too," she answered, kissing him softly on the lips. _One date and he loves me?_ Sure, they'd known each other for five years but two of those years had been spent with him trying to kill her, two years were spent lusting after Buffy and one year...well, she wasn't sure what their relationship or lack thereof had been. But she loved him, her schoolgirl crush had developed into a passionate love that swallowed her whole. And Willow was just fine with that. "Um...so you wanna come in..."  
  
Spike smirked at her. "Oh, right...you live here...with me. And Amy, of course..." Willow babbled. "And you have to kinda come in 'cause you live here and your stuff is here...and you don't actually need an invite 'cause you're not grr-y anymore..." She was cut-off mid-babble by Spike's lips on hers.  
  
She smiled shyly at him. *Great, Willow, you've been almost un-spazlike for two years and you turn into a complete moron when you're around Spike,* she chided herself mentally. "I'd love to come in, Willow," he answered, kissing her once more. Willow managed to unlock the door without removing her lips from his, they backed inside and Spike closed the door with a kick.  
  
Willow and Spike parted for a few gulps of precious oxygen. "Let's take this upstairs, shall we?" Spike asked, stroking her cheek.

* * *

"I wonder what Willow and Spike are doing," Dawn asked, Buffy and Amy shared a look then burst into snickers. "What?!"  
  
"Oh, nothing," Buffy answered, trying to stop giggling.  
  
"ARGH!" Dawn mumbled as she went back to watching the television, crossing her arms petulantly.  
  
Amy and Buffy looked at each other again and broke into another round of laughter.  
  
*You know for adults, they really are immature,* Dawn thought.

* * *

Spike swept the redhead into his arms and she giggled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "How chivalrous, kind sir," Willow grinned.  
  
"Don't tell anyone, pet, you'll ruin my reputation," he said with a mock-sterness.  
  
"I promise, cross my heart," Willow responded.  
  
"Good," he answered as he carried her to her room. He moved over her and his lips met hers almost shyly.

* * *

"That was...violent," Dawn said, wide-eyed as _Sleepy Hollow_ ended. Buffy smirked at Dawn. "Okay, you were right...hellgods are nothing compared to Christopher Walken when he's bad."  
  
"Okay...we either have _The Matrix_ or _A Knight's Tale_," Amy said, reading the labels of the movies. "Who's got a thing for Keanu Reaves?"  
  
Dawn looked at Buffy. "She does," the girl said pointedly.  
  
"So? I'm not the one who thinks Heath Ledger's the sexiest man alive," Buffy taunted.  
  
Dawn's cheeks flamed. "Um...I...well..." she stammered, giving her sister the patented Dawn Summers Evil Glare of Death. Amy smirked and went to make some more microwave popcorn so the sisters could squabble. Family life for Amy consisted of a mother that had tried to steal her body and a father who didn't know she had been a rat for the past three years, it was nice to see an almost normal family life between Buffy and Dawn.

* * *

The kisses became less shy and more demanding as time passed, Willow quickly unbuttoned Spike's shirt and she tossed the silk aside. She finally pulled her mouth from Spike's as her fingers skimmed over his chest, memorizing every contour. His low groan told her that she was doing something right.

* * *

Dawn stared at the movie, mesmerized, as Keanu Reaves did the bullet-dodging bit. "This movie is SO cool," the teenager gushed. "I mean, it's...changed everything in movies, from spoofs to _Scooby Doo_."  
  
"_Scooby Doo_ was long before _The Matrix_," Amy answered.  
  
"Not the series, Amy, the movie," Dawn replied, rolling her eyes.  
  
"There's a 'Scooby Doo' movie?" Amy asked, making a face. "That's just...wrong."  
  
"Yeah, you can't watch TV without seeing an ad for it," Buffy answered.  
  
Amy pondered over the notion of a "Scooby Doo" movie in the new millennium and gave a nod as she realized it would work. "Well...I guess I shouldn't be surprised. With all the drug references, it'd work," Amy answered.  
  
"Drug references?" Dawn asked.  
  
Buffy laughed. "What do you think Scooby snacks are, Dawnie?" Buffy teased.  
  
"Dog treats."  
  
Amy laughed. "That makes Shaggy go gaga?" she asked.  
  
"Shaggy'll eat anything," Dawn stated.  
  
"Shaggy, scared of everything unless he gets false courage from dog treats?" Buffy replied.  
  
Dawn frowned, her eyes widened. "Oh..." she said, frowning. Desperate to change the subject she added, "You know what, Buffy?"  
  
"What do I know?" Buffy smirked.  
  
"The girl who plays Daphne on _Scooby Doo_ looks a lot like you," Dawn answered.  
  
"No, she doesn't!" Buffy insisted. "She's a redhead."  
  
"So? Make her a blonde and you two would pass for twins," Dawn stated, "Same hairstyle, same face...same nose."  
  
Buffy frowned. "Everyone has a nose, what makes mine so special?" the blonde asked, touching her nose.  
  
"Your nose...it's not like anyone else's nose," Amy answered. "It's unique...it has this...thing."  
  
"My nose has a thing?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yeah," Dawn and Amy answered. Buffy frowned, the first thing tomorrow she was going to chop off all her hair.

* * *

Willow woke to find herself pillowed on Spike's bare chest, the sun from her French windows dappling over the two of them. The gentle rise and fall of his chest nearly lulled her back to sleep until she realized with a giggle that he was snoring softly.  
  
She sat up, the covers falling from around her breasts to gather around her hips. Her green eyes trailed over his face, his lips were slightly parted in his sleep, a hand was curled on the pillow by his head, her eyes ran over his neck and she felt a rush of pride as she saw the light bruises on his neck from when she'd bitten him. Her eyes continued their perusal of his body, taking in the sight of his lean chest, she fought the urge to nip at his rosy nipples before her eyes ran down to his navel and the path of hair that led down to where the blanket lay low on his hips just before his...Willow blushed.  
  
They had done so many things...in so many ways...she jerked quickly as she heard the deep chuckling coming from the man beside her, the movement causing the deliciously sore spots all over her body to protest. "Spike...you're awake," she whispered.  
  
"Couldn't stay asleep as I felt beautiful emerald eyes devouring me - I felt so..." he sighed dramatically "...used. You only want me for my body."  
  
"Darn straight," she teased back, kissing him, her tongue running over his lips.  
  
"Well, luv, I'm always one to give my woman what she wants..." An evil smirk passed over Spike's lips as he tackled Willow. She began to giggle...soon her laughter dissolved into moans of pleasure.

* * *

Dawn stretched as she woke up, she padded to her mother's old room and the room Tara and Willow used to share, curled up in the middle of the middle of the large bed was Amy, snoring loudly. Dawn smirked before checking in on Buffy, the blonde was laying on her back, snuggled in her covers, a small smile playing on her lips. The girl decided that she would make breakfast. No peanut butter and jelly quesadillas, her stomach flipped at the thought of that food experiment gone bad.  
  
She decided that she'd make French toast, scrambled eggs and bacon. Careful not to wake her sister, she quietly closed the Slayer's door and walked to the kitchen. She gathered the ingredients she'd need and set out to make breakfast.  
  
Amy was awakened by the scent of food, she tried to get back to sleep but her stomach growled its protest and she rose from the bed and trudged toward the smell. "Mmm...it smells delicious," the former rat moaned.  
  
"Thanks," Dawn grinned as she laid a plate before Amy, the girl nearly attacked it.  
  
Buffy soon joined the two of them. "Ooh, Amy, did you cook?" she asked and Amy shook her head in the negative. Dawn placed another plate of food before her sister. "You cooked?" She stabbed at the eggs cautiously and Dawn glared at her. The Slayer merely laughed and began to eat.

* * *

"You know, pet, the Slayer and her gang are probably waiting for us, it's already ten till four," Spike stated.  
  
"Would going mean we'd have to get out of bed?" Willow asked, frowning.  
  
"Yes, luv," Spike answered.  
  
"Then I'm firmly against it," she said, snuggling closer to her lover. "I don't think I could move if I wanted to."  
  
"Right then," Spike said, pride swelling in his breast. "You know, sometime we'll actually have to get out of bed."  
  
"Well...eventually yes but not right now," Willow answered. Just then the phone rang and Spike glared at it.  
  
"Don't answer it, Red," he said.  
  
Willow sighed and grabbed the phone anyway. "Hello, this better be Armageddon or I'll be very pissed," the redhead said.  
  
"Well...you don't have to be pissed," Buffy's voice came over the line. "Angel's in town, he says there's badness."  
  
"I spoke too soon..." Willow murmured.  
  
"You two best get your asses out of bed and meet us at the Magic Box in twenty minutes," the Slayer stated.  
  
"Right," Willow answered, hanging up.  
  
"What is it?" Spike asked.  
  
"It's the end of the world," Willow sighed.  
  
"Again?"


	9. Part 9

Buffy frowned on the other end of the line. "Xander and I'll pick you up in ten minutes, be ready," she warned, hanging up. Willow looked at Spike as she hung up.  
  
Spike sighed deeply. "I told you not to answer it," he murmured. He slid out of the bed, and shimmied into the jeans he'd worn the day before, feeling Willow's heated gaze on his pale flesh. "You keep that up, Red, and there'll be no demon-hunting."  
  
"Promise?" the witch asked lazily.  
  
Spike grinned and crawled on the bed, moving with the grace of a jungle cat. Willow swallowed hard then giggled, jumping off the bed. Spike mock-growled and chased after the redhead as she raced out of the bedroom, the sheets wrapped around her body. She stood at the top of the stairs looking over her shoulder before scampering down them, giggling, Spike in hot pursuit. Spike's arms wrapped around her waist from behind, making sure to caress all her ticklish spots.  
  
Willow giggled as Spike pushed her onto the couch, his body blanketing hers. His lips descended on hers, suckling lightly on her bottom lip. His tongue invaded her mouth, dancing with hers. He pulled back, kissing her neck. "Love you, Willow," he murmured against her heated flesh, her hands tangled in his curly dirty-blonde hair. The sheet slipped from Willow's body and Spike's hands skimmed her ribs. The redhead moaned as he teased her body. Willow attacked Spike's jeans hastily unzipping them when the doorbell rang. "Fuck!"  
  
"Damn it, Willow!" Buffy muttered, throwing open the door and catching a glimpse of her friend with her ex-vampiric lover on top of her, both very naked. "Oh God! Naked Spike parts!" She turned her back to the scene and heard a zipper jerked up.  
  
"Ah, bloody hell!" Spike cried as his manhood was caught in the zip. Xander winced in sympathy for the former vampire.  
  
Willow smiled as she saw Buffy's hair. "Oh, Buffy, I like your hair," she murmured.  
  
"Oh, thanks," Buffy replied, not turning around. Willow blushed as she realized she was naked, she tightly wrapped the sheet around her and raced upstairs.

* * *

Dawn looked at the clock with a sigh. "Where **are** they?" she asked, between glances at the strange teenaged boy that had come with Angel, Cordelia, Wesley, Giles, a studious-looking girl, a green demon in a **loud** suit and a handsome black guy. "They're having sex," Anya stated.  
  
"All of them?" Amy smirked.  
  
"They'd better not. Unless I'm invited, of course," Anya muttered.  
  
"Eww..." Dawn winced. "Oh, God, bad, bad, bad, **bad** visual place."  
  
"I really DID NOT want to hear that," Amy stated.  
  
"I'll second that," Giles murmured, cleaning his glasses.  
  
Just then, Willow, Spike, Buffy and Xander entered the Magic Box. "Hey, Angel, Lorne, Fred, Gunn, Cordy and..." Willow's eyes settled on the teenaged boy.  
  
"Connor, Angel's son...it's a **long** story," Cordelia stated.  
  
"Connor, this is Willow and Spike," Angel introduced the latecomers. "You know Xander and Buffy."  
  
"Spike...the vampire?" the boy interrupted.  
  
"The **former** vampire, thank you very much," Willow stated tersely. "He's human now."  
  
"Anyway, so glad you could show," Cordelia stated.  
  
"There was...a demon," Willow blushed.  
  
"Mmm-hmm, at least a former one," Xander stated causing Willow's blush to deepen.  
  
"SO...was it good?" Anya asked.  
  
"ANYA! I don't want to hear about this!" Xander answered.  
  
"Me neither," Buffy answered. "We have badness, seems there's this icky demon coming to Sunnydale."  
  
"Well, that only describes about ninety percent of all the demons we've fought," Willow sighed.  
  
"This one's different," Giles's clipped English accent came from his spot by the counter.  
  
"Tell me about it!" Cordelia scowled. "The vision I got...even with the new and improved supposedly non-headache-inducing brand...caused me to need a bottle of Excedrin afterwards."  
  
"You get visions?" Xander asked. "Like Psychic Phone Friends network visions?"  
  
"Not even, lack brain," Cordelia sighed. "This was a real beastie..." She opened her purse and set the drawing that Angel had made of her demonic beastie on the nearby table. The drawing was of a creature that looked like a bodybuilder with goat's legs and a hideous face with huge horns.  
  
"We're fighting the guy from Final Fantasy?" Xander remarked.  
  
"Xander, shut up," Anya said, her face was grim. "The Beast...I thought he was mythology."  
  
"What do you know about demon-boy?" Gunn asked.  
  
"Hello, eleven-hundred year old former vengeance demon, I know a few things about demons!" Anya scowled. "The Beast is a champion of darkness...Evil's warrior."  
  
"And it's teamed up with the First," Giles stated grimly, taking off his glasses and wiping them.  
  
"The First as in that demon-thing that tried to kill Angel?" Buffy asked.  
  
"The one and only," Giles replied.  
  
"Wait, I thought you kicked its ass?" Willow said.  
  
"You can't defeat evil like that, luv," Spike said. "Only slow it down."  
  
"Well, aren't we the bringer of badness," Xander sighed.  
  
"If we can't defeat it, then what're we doing?" Willow asked. There was a long drawn-out silence.  
  
Angel gave a crooked smile. "What we always do, try to save the world," he answered.


End file.
